Heel-breasting machine



E. E. WINKLEY.

HEEL- BREASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I6. I9I6.

E. E. WINKLEY.

HEEL BREASTING MACHINE. A APPLICATION HL'ED 0m16.191s.

Patented June 29, 1920.

2 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

l n Inzjpntol www# y @new Y UNITED STATES PATENT' OFFICE.

ERASTUS E. WINKLEY, F LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, 'lO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JER- SEY, A CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

HEEL-BREASTING MACHINE. n

v Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 29, 1920.

Application med December 16, 1916. serial No. 137,369.

i Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to 'be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as w1ll enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

v rlhis invention relates to a machine for shaping the breast-surface of the heel of a boot or shoe, particularly at the point where the breast-surface joins the shank of the shoe-sole. n

The general object of the invention is to produce a machine, for the said operation, which shall perform its work rapidly and accurately and without the necessity of great skill or care on the part of the operator. A more .particular object of the invention is to produce a machine for shaping the concave surface of a French heel, so as to produce a smooth blending of this surface with that of the shoe-sole, and especially to accommodate the operation of the machine to the transverse convexity of the shank of the sole.

A feature of the invention contemplates the provision in a heelbreasting machine of cutting means adapted to act .on the heel breast of a shoe having a French heel, and means for tilting and cutting means trans-y versely of the shoe to shape the heel breast to transverse conveXity of the shank of the shoe. Preferably the cutting means is capable of shaping thek heel breast longitudinally of the heel as well as to the transverse conveXity of the shank of the shoe, so that the desired shaping of the heel breast may be ac* complished in a single operation. In the preferred embodiment `of the invention fleXible cutting means isemployed which may comprise a pair of rotary cutters arranged Ito operate simultaneously upon opposite sides of ythe heel breast of a shoe, and

means is 4provided for changing'the angular relation of thepaths of motion of the cutters. Thebroader features of the invention, however, are not limited to a machine employing flexible cutting means and, eX-k cept as defined in the claims, the invention is not limited to a machine for operating upon French heels.

Other features of the invention comprise certain constructions, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed, the advantages of which willv be obvious to those skilled in the art.

' In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a plan-view of a machine embodying the present invention, together with ashoe upon which the machine is shown as operating.

Fig. 2 is a front-elevation of 'the upper part of the machine, with the operative instrumentalities in a different position from that of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1, but on a much larger scale. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4 4 in Fig. 1, but on a smaller scale.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the cutters; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the expanding bushing by which the cutter is fixed to the cutter-shaf The invention is illustrated as embodied in a machine having two'rotary cutters 10, which are fixed at the inner ends of two cutter-shafts 12. 1`l1ese shafts turn in bear-y ings 14 (Fig. 3), which are supported in twosleeves 16 and 18 at the front of the' machine.

The sleeves 16 and 18 aresupported with their axes always in a common vertical plane, lbut are arranged to be moved pivotally about the aXisof a shaft 20 extending in a foreand-aft direction, normal to said plane. For this purpose the sleeve 16 is formed integrally upon a yoke 22, which has bearingesleeves24 and 26 loosely embracing the shaft 20. The sleeve 18 is likewise integral with a yoke 28, having bearing sleeves 30 and 82 which embrace the shaft 20. The shaft is mounted` in bearings at the upper ends of uprights 34 and 36, which constitute part of the frame of the machine.

The cutter-shafts and' cutters are rotated constantly, during the operation of the machine, by means operative regardless of the pivotal movements of the yokes 22 and 28. The shaft 20 is employed as apart of the actuating means, and for this purpose it is provided with a gear 38 which meshes with a pinion 40 driven by a .pulley 42. This pul ley rotates loosely upon a shaft 44 which is fixed in the frame of the machine. An

idler or loose pulley 46 is mounted alongside the driving-pulley 42, and these pulleys are adapted to receive a belt from any suitable source of power. A belt-shipper 48 isused for shifting the belt from one pulley to the other in the usual manner.

The countershafts 50 and 52 are journaled in transverse bearing-sleeves 54 and 56 on the yokes 22 and 28, respectively. These countersharfts carry skew-gears 58 and 60, which mesh with corresponding gears 62 and G4, respectively, fixed on the drive-shaft 20. The countershafts and cutter-shafts are provided, at their outer ends, with sprocketwheels which are connected by chains 66 and 68, so that the cutter-shafts are driven by the respective countershafts and both in the same direction. Fach yoke is provided with an adjustable idler-wheel 70 engaging the corresponding chain to adjust the tension vof the latter.

It will be apparent that either yoke may be swung about the axis of the drive-shaft 20 without disturbing the cooperative relation of the corresponding skew-gears, so that the cutters are rotated constantly regardless of the angular relation of their axes of rotation.

The yokes 22 and 28 are so controlled as always to have equal inclination from horizontal position, and to be moved in unison through a sufficient angle to accommodate the cutters to the lateral inclination or convexity of the shank of the shoe-sole. For this purpose each yoke is provided with a depending arm 72, and these arms are connected, by two links 74, with a slide-block 76 which moves vertically in a bearing on the frame of the machine. The head-frame is mounted upon a hollow column 78, and at the lower end of this column is pivoted a treadle-lever 8O by which the inclination of the cutters is controlled. The slide block 76 is connected with the treadle-lever by a rod 82, so that when the treadle is de oressed the arms 7 2 are swung downwardly, t ius swinging the cutter-shafts, from their normal horizontal alinement, to oppositely inclined positions, as shown in Fig. 2. A spring 84, connected to the treadle-lever, normally retains it in raised position, and returns it to such position when pressure upon the treadle-lever is released. The downward movement of the treadle-lever is limited by means of a rod 88 which is pivoted, at its lower end, to the lever, and which slides through a sleeve 86 threaded into a lug on the column 7 8. Stop-nuts 90 on the rod 88 engage the upper end of the sleeve 86 and thus arrest the downward movement of the treadlelever at a point which may be adjusted by screwing the sleeve or the stop-nuts upwardly or downwardly.

Each cutter, as shown in Fig. 5, comprises a blade of the form of a hollow semicylinder sharpened on one edge. The cutter is also provided with a shank-portion 94 in the form of a cleft hollow cylinder. As shown in Fig. 3, the cutter-shaft l2 has a cylindrical shell 92, formed integral at its inner end, and the shank 94 of the cutter is fitted within this shell. A cleft bushing 96 fits within the shank 94, and the parts are secured in place by a screw 98 which is threaded into the shaft and which has a conical head 100 fitting the conicalbore of the bushing 96. When the screw is driven home the bushing is expanded, and it expands the shank 94 of the cutter so that the latter is clamped securely within the shell 92. The cutter may be readily removed for sharpening upon backing olf the screw 98.

Associated with each cutter is a guard 102 which curves over the upper and forward part of the cutter, and which is fixed to the corresponding bearing-sleeve. The upper and lower edges of the guard constitute gages which are adapted to bear against the breast-surface of the heel and the shanksurface of the shoe-sole and thus to determine. the position of the concave surface shaped by the cutter. The guard also prevents the material removed by the cutter from being thrown against the operator, and prevents injury to the operator through accidental contact with the cutters.

In the normal position of the parts the cutters are in axial alinement, as shown in Figs. l and 4. With the parts in this position the operator, standing in front of the machine, presses a shoe against the cutters, as in Figs. 1 and 4, and draws the shoe upwardly and forwardly until the edges of the guard are engaged With the heel-breast and the shank of the shoe-sole, thus indicating that the cutter has trimmed the concave part of the breast-surface to the required depth. Holding the shoe in this position the operatorthen depresses the treadle, thus rocking the cutters to the position shown in Fig. 2. By this movement the cutters are caused to complete the heel-breasting operation to the lateral margins of the sole, notwithstanding the transverse convexity of the sole. The relation of the parts is such that the axis of this pivotal movement, which is the axis of the shaft 20, coincides with the lowermost parts of the adjacent extremities of the cutters, as shown in Fig. 2, so that these extremities do not interfere with each other during this angular movement. The trimming operation is completed as just described, and the operator then releases the treadle and removes the shoe from the machine. The stop-device connected with the treadle-lever is preferably adjusted so as to permit only the degree of angular movement of the cuttershafts necessary forV the particular style of shoe on which the machine is to operate.

The machinev ofthe present application produces an accurate formationof thelheelbreast ,from lone lateral extremity to the c other, regardless of the transverse convexity of thesole, and in the speciiicembodiment shown, in which the cutters are adapted for shapinga concave heel-breaston a French heel, `this breast is so formed asto. merge smoothly into the ksurface of t-he shoe-sole,

the trimmed .part of tlieheel-breastf having the form ofy a surface `warpedabout two, diiferent axes, this lsurface, being `more regf ular than that.; which is produced by; the

ordinary method of breasting a French heel, s

wherein the operation ot asinglerotary the operator.

operator, but by the use of two cutters,

operating` simultaneously on opposite sidesl of the heel-breast, the operation of the machine is rendered very rapid, requiring little more time than is necessary to properly engage the shoe with the cutters and depress the treadle.

Having thus described the invention, and the preferred manner of practising it, it is definitely stated in its true scope in the following claims.

lVhat is claimed as new is:

l. A heel-'breasting machine having, in combination, two cuttersarranged to operate simultaneously on opposite sides of the heelbreast of a shoe; and means for actuating the cutters in angularly related paths of motion.

2. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, two cutters arranged to operate simultaneously on opposite sidesof the heelbreast of a shoe; means for actuating the cutters in angularly related paths of motion; and means for changing the angular relation of said paths of motion. n

3. A heel-breasting machine having, `in combination, two rotary cutters arranged close together so that they may be engaged simultaneously with the heel-breast of a shoe; and means for supporting and rotating the cutters upon axes inclined to each other.

4:. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, two rotary cutters arranged close together so that they may be engaged simultaneously rwith the heel-breast of a shoe; means for supporting and rotating the cutters on axes lying in the same plane; and means for changing the angular relation of the axes to each other.

5. A heel-breasting machine having, 'in combination, two rotary cutters arranged close together so that they may be engaged simultaneously with the heel-breast of a shoe; and means forchanging theangular` relation of the cutters yabout an axis inter-` secting the plane ot .the yheel breast and coinciding y approximately with, n adjacent 1 c points'on the working surfacescotlthetwo cutters.

6.v Ai-heel-breasting machinefhaving,

about a common axis; two cutters rotatably ksupported by theyokes on axes lyingy substantiallyl in a plane normal .to the pivotal f,axis; means for swinging ythe yokes equally; `andsimultaneously, in opposite dlrections,

combination, two yokes vpivotall'y; movable; n

about the .pivotal axis; vand -means for ron tating the cutters regardless of such movementsof the yokes.

7. A heel-breasting `maclnnehaving, in 1 combination. a rotary cutteri adapted to` shape the ,concave heel-breast` of la shoe and` a gage .curved about the cutteriand having i f, one edge substantially parallel to the axis` of theicutter andr arranged yto rengagethe opposite ends of which are substantially parallel and are located in position to engage the heel-breast and soleof the shoe and thus to determine the relation of the shaped surface of these parts.

10. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, a substantially cylindrical cutter; means for rotating the cutter about its axis; and a guard having unyielding work engaging edges and arranged above and in front of the cutter but exposing its rear and lower surface.

11. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, a substantially cylindrical cutter, means for rotating the cutter about its axis, and a guard engaging the shoe to determine the depth and curvature of the heelbreast arranged above and in front of the cutter but exposing lts rear and lower surface.

l2. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, a rotary cutter mounted on a cutter shaft extending transversely of the shank when the shoe is in position to be operated u non, and a gage curved about the cutter and aving its ends on the heel-breast and shank of the shoe.

13. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, cutting means adapted to act 'soleot the shoe, yadjacentfthe cutter, n to y on the heel-breast of a shoe having a French heel, and. means for tilting the cutting means transversely of the shoe to shape the heelbreast to the transverse convexity of the shank of the shoe.

14. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, cutting means adapted to shape longitudinally the heel-breast of a shoe having` a French heel, andL means for tilting the cutting means transversely of the shoe to shape the heel-breast to the transverse convexit'y of the shank of the shoe.

l5. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, cutting means adapted to act on the heel-breast of a shoe having-a French heel, means for tilting the cutting means transversely of the shoe to shape the heel-V breast to the transverse convexity of the shank of the shoe, and a gage to determine the depth of the cut made by the cutting means. K

16. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, cutting'means adapted to act on the heel-breast of a shoe having a French heel, and means under control of the operator for tiltin the cutting means transversely of the s ice to shape the heel-breast to the transverse convexity of the shank of the shoe.

17. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, cutting-means adapted to act on the heel-breast of a shoe having a French heel, and means for tilting the cutting means transversely of the shoe to simultaneously shape'both sides of the heel-breast'to the transverse conveXity of the shank of the shoe.

1S. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, flexible cutting means adapted to act on the heel-breast of a shoe having a French heel, andmeans for flexing the cutting means to shape the heel-breast to the transverse conveXity of the shank of the shoe.

nnAsfrUs n. WINKLEY.

Corrections in Letters Patent No.1 ,344,782.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,344,782, granted June 29,k 1920, upon the application of Erastus E. Winkley, of Lynn, Massachusetts, for an improvement in Heel-Breasting Machines, errors appear in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line 34, for the Word and read the; same page, line 36, after the Word to insert the Word the; and that the said.

Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case inthe Patent Oice.

Signed and sealed this 3d day of August, A. D., 1920.

R. F. VVHITEHEAD,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

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